Being Simpler – What’s At Risk?

What’s at risk for you if you walk through an open door leading to a simpler life?

I’m wondering, in reading that question, if you’ll actually slow down and take time to reflect on it.

Personally, I’d be giving up parts of my life that are chokka-block with barren busyness.

Barren busyness is where I’m running around like the proverbial headless chicken doing ‘stuff.’ And because I’m doing stuff, I can fool myself into believing I’m accomplishing something. But really, I’m just being over-busy. I’m fooling myself that my busyness will produce something worthwhile in my life. Then I can feel good.

Reactive busyness produces dust and waste and little more.

How did we get here? What’s the rush, really? Why am I filling up my hours with busyness? What am I avoiding?

An old friend once said to me, “If you want something doing, ask a busy man.” Great idea! Let’s all piggyback on someone wearing themselves into the ground. Then we’ll have time ourselves to slow down, simplify and enjoy the blink-of-an-eye we have here on earth. The other guy will probably be burned out from doing our stuff for us.

But all the other busyness? That barren desert of busy time-waste? That’s me avoiding connection with my deeper self, others and nature. That’s a deep fear that walking through the door to simplicity will reveal. And what might it reveal about me? That’s what’s at risk for me.

And that is all it is. Simple.

Today’s top tip: Figure out where your own barren busyness is stealing your opportunities to connect deeper, to enjoy feeling nature, art, music, other people.. Write those instances down, simplify them, then replace them with looking at the clouds for five minutes three times a day.